Job description

Job title

The Nest Nature School - Lead Teacher

Reports to

Assistant Director

Location

Cibolo Center for Conservation in Boerne, TX

The Nest Nature School Overview

The Nest Nature School is part of the Cibolo Center for Conservation, an organization founded in 1988 to connect people with nature and inspire them to fall in love with land, water, and wildlife in the hopes that they will become champions and stewards of the Earth. Since 2016, the Cibolo, located in Boerne, Texas, has been providing exceptional early childhood education in the Nature School to foster young children in their full spectrum of development.

At the Nest Nature School, we are nurturing strong bodies, inquisitive minds, and wild hearts. The school uses the best practices of early childhood and nature-based educational approaches to foster a cohesive learning community. Our curriculum incorporates play and learning in nature to best support the whole child academically, socially, emotionally, physically to ensure that they are prepared for kindergarten and beyond.

Located in the heart of Boerne, we provide our students access to more than 60 acres of pristine natural spaces along the Cibolo Creek with prairies, trails, forests, and gardens. Our unique campus, located at the Herff Farm, provides abundant nature-based opportunities to support our play-based learning philosophy. The school campus, including four learning cottages and a welcome center, was opened in 2021. Each class is situated in individual learning cottages, complete with a beautiful indoor space, an open-air creative space, and picnic decks for lunch and snacks. Outdoor learning spaces include opportunities for students to grow vegetables, explore the forest, experience a sensory garden, create nature-based art, and engage in a variety of physical and imaginative play.

Position Summary

The Lead Teacher works collaboratively to provide guidance and leadership in one of our four preschool classes. We are looking for applicants equipped with a strong background in early childhood development or a related field with a passion to inspire children to connect with nature through play and exploration. We are seeking individuals who are joyful, collaborative, passionate, responsible, energetic, flexible, child-focused, and enjoy being outdoors year-round.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities

Teaching & Curriculum (40%): Implement a nature-based developmentally appropriate preschool program guided by the needs of the children, the highest standards of early childhood education, and the mission of the Nest Nature School and Cibolo Center for Conservation.

• Develop and facilitate weekly lesson plans and daily activities
• Plan activities in the areas of social and emotional learning, pre-literacy, gross and fine motor, math, art, natural history, ecology, art, music, dance, and drama
• Appropriately assist students in self-care skills
• Demonstrate the ability to multi-task, be flexible, and exhibit patience in a collaborative setting
• Implement and maintain safe classroom practices including but not limited to maintaining the first aid kit and other safety protocols, mealtimes, overseeing daily check lists, instructing & monitoring children in the use of materials & supplies, and assisting with animal care
• Evaluate the effectiveness and success of curriculum within the classroom and adapt as necessary
• Conduct formative documented assessments and maintain student portfolios to share with administration and parents as needed

Physical Environment (25%): Ensure children’s physical and emotional safety, including following procedures in risky play, sensory play, medication administration, allergy management, and authorized release.

• Maintain a clean, healthy, safe outdoor and indoor environment
• Ensure personal, staff, student, and classroom compliance with all relevant rules and regulations including state licensing, school, and organizational guidelines and policies
• Able to identify, or to learn to identify, local natural hazards such as poison ivy, wasps, etc.
• Respond to emergencies in a calm and responsible manner and uphold emergency protocols

Relationships & Communication (20%): Maintain a safe, joyful, and respectful classroom environment for students and other staff.

• Provide a physically and emotionally safe environment for children in indoor and outdoor settings
• Develop students’ social, emotional, and behavioral skills through positive guidance, modeling, and conflict resolution strategies
• Create a culturally responsive and socially inclusive classroom for all students and their families
• Engage enthusiastically and appropriately with families and the school community through digital, verbal, written, and in-person interactions
• Maintain communication (verbal and/or written) with parents and caregivers
• Thoughtfully plan and facilitate parent involvement in the classroom at discretion of the Director
• Constructively communicate concerns about the learning environment, students, or staff to the Assistant Director

Creating Community (10%): Engage with positive and proactive communication and interpersonal skills.

• Actively participate in weekly, monthly, and as needed staff meetings and trainings
• Participate in Cibolo Center for Conservation staff meetings and special events to ensure connection with the rest of the staff and members

Other Duties (5%): Participate in other duties as assigned and/or needed.

• Obtain 24 hours of continuing education yearly
• Oversee cleanliness of classroom and communal spaces on daily basis

Position Qualifications

• 2+ years experience as a lead teacher at an accredited preschool, preferably using play-based learning and/or nature-based learning
• Bachelor’s degree preferred in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Early Childhood Special Education or related educational field or 3+ years experience in the Early Childhood field
• College credits in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or other related educational field or Child Development Associates (CDA)
• Demonstrated confidence facilitating children in outdoor/non-traditional educational setting
• A commitment to the importance of play and nature in early childhood education
• Working knowledge or willingness to learn natural history, ecology, and conservation concepts
• Working knowledge or willingness to learn risk assessment in the environments of young children
• Computer literacy, including use of Microsoft Office Suite and email to support child related documentation and other communication
• Ability to communicate effectively in English with demonstrated strong oral and written skills
• Eagerness to embrace the mission of the school and larger organization
• High emotional intelligence and ability to function effectively as a collaborative teaching team
• Pediatric CPR/first aid certification, or the willingness to receive within 2 weeks of employment
• Employment is contingent on applicant passing fingerprinting and background check
• Must have reliable transportation
• Must be flexible and willing to assist with a variety of teaching and administrative duties including any additional roles outside of those stated

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education or related field.
• Certification or formal training in nature-based education or place-based education
• Certification or formal training in Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, or Montessori pedagogies
• Fluent in language other than English (Spanish preferred)

Working conditions & Physical Requirements

• Ability to work 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday with occasional evenings and weekends scheduled for parent meetings, in service trainings, and/or special events
• Ability to work outdoors in all seasons and all weather conditions 60% or more of each day
• Ability to safely navigate a variety of surfaces, walk long distances, stand for extended periods of time, sit, kneel, stoop, crawl, twist, reach above head, climb stairs or ramps, lift, carry up to 50 lbs

TO APPLY

Please submit a letter of introduction and a current resume to: nest@cibolo.org with the subject line:

THE NEST NATURE SCHOOL LEAD TEACHER

Position will remain open until filled.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $40,000.00 - $44,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Experience:

• Teaching: 1 year (Preferred)
• Special education: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Teaching Certification (Preferred)
• Special Education Certification (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

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